Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED Programme)

Workshop: Demographic change and labour market - Policies and strategies in the Province of Drenthe and Groningen (Assen, Netherlands)

International workshop

5 November 2012, The House of the Province of Drenthe, Assen, Netherlands

This workshop was organised by The Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations and the Province of Groningen and Drenthe within the framework of the OECD LEED project on local scenarios of demographic change

Regions facing demographic shrinkage are the laboratories of future labuor market problems for the whole country. The growing replacement demand and the ageing of the labour force are huge challenges for economic development and labour market transition. At this moment population decline is noticeable and visible in three regions: Noordoost-Groningen/Eemsdelta, Oost-Groningen and municipality De Marne. But for the next 20 years more regions in Groningen and Drenthe face the effects of ageing and population decline.

The workshop contributed to identify the main issues and proposals for policy development and initiatives to address labour market challenges. Local activities, initiatives, and strategies are of particular importance for the development of proposals for the province and in coordination with national goals.